I found this good post in another thread. I wanted to respond, but didn't want to derail that thread, so I'm responding here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eriadoc

The rules favor the offense. The old adage "defense wins championships" is less true than it ever was, not that it was ever 100% true anyway. A great defense can hold down the QBs like Sanchez and Gabbert, but like we saw last year against Brees, when an elite QB has the ball with a couple minutes to go and the game on the line, it's now to the point where you expect that QB to deliver more often than not. This year, we have seen elite QBs like Rodgers, Manning, and Stafford (and Henne, LOL) tear up the Texans defense. You can blame injuries, but every team has injuries, and Rodgers faced them pretty close to their best.

If this defense can't find a way to stop guys like Brees, Manning, Brady, and Rodgers (much less Henne and Locker), then the offense has to step up. And I don't mean scoring 24 points against a hapless team like the Titans. I mean put up enough points to bury a team. When the playoffs come around, you only get one shot. There's no fixing it next week, and all these mindless chants of "11-1!!" won't matter.

Don't ignore in victory what you would not ignore in defeat.

Good post. A little out of place I think. I just wanted to talk about the defense & what Wade has done. New England is going to be a challenge. Peterson is going to be a challenge. Luck, I admit, may present problems.

But you're right, the offense has to do it's part. Didn't like what I saw in the second half. Not so much the points, but we need to keep the offense on the field. They've got to convert those third downs. I'd have been happy if we were kicking field goals, but in the second half we didn't even get close enough to attempt. And that's got to be fixed. Gary doesn't have any excuses. Missing the RT... ok. Graham got hurt... ok. But they got 6 extra possessions. 10 yards out of field goal range on one of them. We couldn't move the ball.

But it's a team game. Beating the Pats isn't going to be about the defense & winning in the playoffs isn't going to be about the defense.

I found this good post in another thread. I wanted to respond, but didn't want to derail that thread, so I'm responding here.

Good post. A little out of place I think. I just wanted to talk about the defense & what Wade has done. New England is going to be a challenge. Peterson is going to be a challenge. Luck, I admit, may present problems.

But you're right, the offense has to do it's part. Didn't like what I saw in the second half. Not so much the points, but we need to keep the offense on the field. They've got to convert those third downs. I'd have been happy if we were kicking field goals, but in the second half we didn't even get close enough to attempt. And that's got to be fixed. Gary doesn't have any excuses. Missing the RT... ok. Graham got hurt... ok. But they got 6 extra possessions. 10 yards out of field goal range on one of them. We couldn't move the ball.

But it's a team game. Beating the Pats isn't going to be about the defense & winning in the playoffs isn't going to be about the defense.

We only managed 112 yards in the second half on offense in the second half.

The defense had 3 stops to start the second half, giving up a mere 9 yards.

The lone FG we scored was due to a forced fumble that gave the offense the ball at the Titans 36. We gained 4 yards before Graham made that 50-yd FG.

I think a lot of it has to do with the run game, particularly Foster. Of Foster's 14 carries in this game 11 of them were 3 yards or less, and this has been a trend throughout the season. I've broken his carries down before. In the Bill's game, for example, 12 of his 24 carries in that game totaled minus 1 yard. Sure he'll break a few off for 15, 20, 40 or whatever, and in that Bills game his other 12 carries totalled 112 yards, but it's too many minimal gain plays that puts the offense in bad down and distance.

Now, they've been converting. They were in the top 10 in the league coming into this game, but didn't in this one going 4-17 on 3rd down. 2-9 on 3rd and 7 or longer. 9 occasions where it's 3rd and long. Penalties play apart too, but a lot of that is on Foster getting very minimal gain, if any, on a lot of his carries.

I mean, at the end of the day, the numbers look good, the Texans are 6th in the league in rushing, Foster is 4th in the league, but there's just too many 2, 1, 0, minus yard plays on Foster's carries. Almost Barry Sanders-ish - lose yards on 4 carries then bust one for 50. Lose yards on 4 more carries and bust another for 35. That's 10 carries for let's just say 85 yards, an 8.5 average, which looks awesome, but those 85 yards were on 2 carries. He averaged 0 yards on the other 8 carries that was over 5 possesions where you had to punt 4 times because of those minimal gains putting you off schedule.

I think a lot of it has to do with the run game, particularly Foster. Of Foster's 14 carries in this game 11 of them were 3 yards or less, and this has been a trend throughout the season. I've broken his carries down before. In the Bill's game, for example, 12 of his 24 carries in that game totaled minus 1 yard. Sure he'll break a few off for 15, 20, 40 or whatever, and in that Bills game his other 12 carries totalled 112 yards, but it's too many minimal gain plays that puts the offense in bad down and distance.

Now, they've been converting. They were in the top 10 in the league coming into this game, but didn't in this one going 4-17 on 3rd down. 2-9 on 3rd and 7 or longer. 9 occasions where it's 3rd and long. Penalties play apart too, but a lot of that is on Foster getting very minimal gain, if any, on a lot of his carries.

I mean, at the end of the day, the numbers look good, the Texans are 6th in the league in rushing, Foster is 4th in the league, but there's just too many 2, 1, 0, minus yard plays on Foster's carries. Almost Barry Sanders-ish - lose yards on 4 carries then bust one for 50. Lose yards on 4 more carries and bust another for 35. That's 10 carries for let's just say 85 yards, an 8.5 average, which looks awesome, but those 85 yards were on 2 carries. He averaged 0 yards on the other 8 carries that was over 5 possesions where you had to punt 4 times because of those minimal gains putting you off schedule.

So he needs to eat more meat?

Great analysis. I had no idea there were that many for loses. I know this year I've been "perturbed" that he looks to shake people where as before he used to put the ol shoulder down & at least go forward. Sometimes I'm like, "Just run!!"

Kubiak did what I like best: Got up on a team with three TDs in the first half and make the other team force things.

Happiest first half I've had other than the Ravens game.

A welcome relief after the past two games we had. Right? Right.

With most teams we play I'd semi agree with you but next Monday we play New England at their house and I don't think riding a lead is gonna work up there. We need to develop a killer instinct and bury our opponents. Also there are some teams like the Titans that it would be fun to crush 56-0.

With most teams we play I'd semi agree with you but next Monday we play New England at their house and I don't think riding a lead is gonna work up there. We need to develop a killer instinct and bury our opponents. Also there are some teams like the Titans that it would be fun to crush 56-0.

If we could have moved the ball, we would have scored. I don't have a problem running the ball, if some people want to call that conservative so be it. But we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties & negative plays. That ain't going to work in the play-offs no matter who we play.